Method and system for data detection in a global positioning system satellite receiver

ABSTRACT

A data detection circuit within a global positioning system (GPS) satellite receiver operates to detect and decode data sent in a spread spectrum signal. The data detection circuit receives input from a radio receiver, the information containing data from a plurality of satellites. The data is supplied to a circular memory device, which determines which data corresponds to which satellite. The memory device sends the received signal to a matched filter, which decodes the signal received from each satellite. This signal is analyzed to determine whether a phase inversion due to data modulation on the received signal is present. The phase inversion can occur at boundaries, known as data epochs, in the received signal, and corresponds to data in the received signal. This data contains information relating to the position of each satellite and is collected by the data detection circuit for use by the GPS receiver.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a global positioning system (GPS),and, more particularly, to a method and system for detecting datasuperimposed over a spread spectrum signal received from a GPSsatellite.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The U.S. based NAVSTAR global positioning system (GPS) is a collectionof 24 earth-orbiting satellites. Each of the GPS satellites travels in aprecise orbit about 11,000 miles above the earth's surface. A GPSreceiver locks onto at least three of the satellites, and responsivethereto, is able to determine its precise location. Each satellitetransmits a signal modulated with a unique pseudo-noise (PN) code. EachPN code comprises a sequence of 1023 chips which are repeated everymillisecond consistent with a chip rate of 1.023 MHz. Each satellitetransmits at the same frequency. For civil applications, the frequencyis known as L1 and is 1575.42 MHz. The GPS receiver receives a signalwhich is a mixture of the transmissions of the satellites that arevisible to the receiver. The receiver detects the transmission of aparticular satellite by correlating the received signal with shiftedversions of the PN code for that satellite. If the level bf correlationis sufficiently high so that there is a peak in the level of correlationachieved for a particular shift and PN code, the receiver detects thetransmission of the satellite corresponding to the particular PN code.The receiver then uses the shifted PN code to achieve synchronizationwith subsequent transmissions from the satellite.

The receiver determines its distance from the satellite by determiningthe code phase of the transmission from the satellite. The code phase(CP) is the delay, in terms of chips or fractions of chips, that asatellite transmission experiences as it travels the approximately11,000 mile distance from the satellite to the receiver. The receiverdetermines the code phase for a particular satellite by correlatingshifted versions of the satellite's PN code with the received signalafter correction for Doppler shift. The code phase for the satellite isdetermined to be the shift which maximizes the degree of correlationwith the received signal.

The receiver converts the code phase for a satellite to a time delay. Itdetermines the distance to the satellite by multiplying the time delayby the velocity of the transmission from the satellite. The receiveralso knows the precise orbits of each of the satellites. Updates to thelocations of the satellites are transmitted to the receiver by each ofthe satellites. This is accomplished by modulating a low frequency (50Hz) data signal onto the PN code transmission from the satellite. Thedata signal encodes the positional information for the satellite. Thereceiver uses this information to define a sphere around the satelliteat which the receiver must be located, with the radius of the sphereequal to the distance the receiver has determined from the code phase.The receiver performs this process for at least three satellites. Thereceiver derives its precise location from the points of intersectionbetween the at least three spheres it has defined.

The Doppler shift (DS) is a frequency shift in the satellitetransmission caused by relative movement between the satellite and thereceiver along the line-of-sight (LOS). It can be shown that thefrequency shift is equal to

$\frac{v_{LOS}}{\lambda},$

where v_(LOS) is the velocity of the relative movement between thesatellite and receiver along the LOS, and λ is the wavelength of thetransmission. The Doppler shift is positive if the receiver andsatellite are moving towards one another along the LOS, and is negativeif the receiver and satellite are moving away from one another along theLOS.

The Doppler shift alters the perceived code phase of a satellitetransmission from its actual value. Hence, the GPS receiver must correctthe satellite transmissions for Doppler shift before it attempts todetermine the code phase for the satellite through correlation analysis.

The detection of the above-mentioned signals from each satellite can beaccomplished in accordance with that disclosed in, for example, but notlimited to, U.S. patent application entitled “SIGNAL DETECTOR EMPLOYINGCOHERENT INTEGRATION”, having Ser. No. 09/281,566, and filed on Mar. 30,1999. A signal detector as disclosed therein uses a correlationmechanism, for example, a matched filter, and a coherent integrationscheme in which to detect the appropriate satellite signals.

Once the above-mentioned satellite signals are detected, then it isdesirable to decode the low frequency 50 Hz data that is modulated ontothe PN code signal received from the satellite. In the past, this datadetection was performed using circuitry similar to that used to detectthe transmission from the satellite. Unfortunately, this prior artscheme must run continually, thus consuming valuable processorresources.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a data detection scheme thatcan make use of the satellite acquisition circuitry contained within theabove-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/281,566, and whichcan be operated for a limited duty cycle in order to conserve processorresources.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a system and method for detecting data in a GPSreceiver. The invention may be conceptualized as a method for a globalpositioning system (GPS) receiver, comprising the steps of decoding dataencoded upon a spread spectrum modulated signal received from the GPSusing a matched filter residing within the receiver. The data isdemarcated into successive data epochs, whereby the periodic phase shiftdata encoded upon the signal by phase shifts of the data epochs isdecoded using the matched filter.

Architecturally, the invention can be conceptualized as a system for aglobal positioning system (GPS), having a receiver, including datadetection circuitry configured to decode data encoded upon a spreadspectrum modulated signal received from the GPS using a matched filterresiding within the receiver. The data is demarcated into successivedata epochs, where the matched filter decodes periodic phase shift dataencoded upon the signal by phase shifts of the data epochs.

The data detection circuitry receives the spread spectrum modulatedsignal in the form of a data stream and detects whether or not a phaseinversion due to data modulation occurs at each data epoch within thedata stream. The circuitry uses circular buffering and a matched filterto determine the location of the data epoch with respect to eachsatellite's received signal. The matched filter is used to collect databits when the GPS receiver is in data detection mode, and is used toperform coherent integration from one data epoch to the next in order toaccumulate coherently the energy contained in one data bit from aspecific satellite. A plurality of successive coherent integrationperiods from two satellites are supplied to a complex summation memorydevice, that provides a signal corresponding to each of the integrationperiods. The two integration periods are then analyzed to determinewhether a phase inversion has occurred at the data epoch.

Related methods of operation and computer readable media are alsoprovided. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of theinvention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, as defined in the claims, can be better understood withreference to the following drawings. The components within the drawingsare not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis insteadbeing placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a graphical illustration of the information contained in asatellite waveform as received by the data detection circuit of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the data detection circuit of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of the data RAMof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the matched filter of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a graphical illustration representing a data epoch including aphase inversion.

FIG. 6, is a block diagram illustrating a data frame constructed of dataextracted from the satellite waveform of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The data detection circuitry of the invention can be implemented insoftware, hardware, or a combination thereof. In a preferredembodiment(s), selected portions of the data detection circuit areimplemented in hardware and software. The hardware portion of theinvention can be implemented using specialized hardware logic. Thesoftware portion can be stored in a memory and be executed by a suitableinstruction execution system (microprocessor). The hardwareimplementation of the data detection circuit can include any or acombination of the following technologies, which are all well known inthe art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementinglogic functions upon data signals, an application specific integratedcircuit having appropriate logic gates, a programmable gate array(s)(PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

Furthermore, the data detection circuitry software, which comprises anordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logicalfunctions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by orin connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, orother system that can fetch the instructions from the instructionexecution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions.

In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be anymeans that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport theprogram for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device. The computer readable medium can be, forexample but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device,or propagation medium. More specific examples (a nonexhaustive list) ofthe computer-readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computerdiskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory)(magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact discread-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readablemedium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which theprogram is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, viafor instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, thencompiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner ifnecessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

Furthermore, in the context of this document a “global positioningsystem”, or “GPS”, means any system utilizing satellites and/orland-based communications devices for providing or enabling thedetermination of a location on the earth, for example, but not limitedto, NAVSTAR, GLONASS, LORAN, Shoran, Decca, or TACAN.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a graphical illustration of theinformation contained in a satellite waveform as received by the datadetection circuit of the invention. Satellite waveform 10 includes datastream 11 and code stream 12. The data stream 11 is comprised of 20milliseconds (ms) of data, within a data period 16, which includes 20one-millisecond code periods 17. Twenty one-millisecond code periods 17comprise one data period 16. Each code period 17 includes 1023pseudo-random noise (PN) chips, which are used by a satelliteacquisition circuit similar to the data detection circuit 100 (to beillustrated below with respect to FIG. 2) while operating in a satelliteacquisition mode. During the satellite acquisition mode, the PN chipsreceived from the satellite in the code periods 17 are compared againstideal values of the PN chips by a satellite acquisition circuit in orderto determine which satellite, or satellites, is visible to the GPSreceiver.

The information contained within data period 16 is transmitted at 50 Hzand includes ephemeris data for each satellite and almanac data for allsatellites in the GPS system. The almanac data and the ephemeris dataare similar in that they both are useful to the GPS receiver forlocating the position of the satellite, and will both be described ingreater detail below. This low frequency 50 Hz data is modulated overthe carrier frequency and over the spread spectrum signal, whichincludes the code stream 12. Each twenty millisecond data period 16contains one data bit and is separated from an adjoining data period 16by an event known as a data epoch. Each code period 17 is separated byan event called a code epoch 18 at the boundary of each code period. Acode epoch 18 will coincide with each data epoch 15. Each data epoch 15also corresponds with every twentieth code period 17. In other words,each data epoch 15 has an associated code epoch 18, but each code epoch18 does not necessarily have an associated data epoch 15. Each dataepoch 15 possibly includes a phase inversion due to the data modulationthat is applied over the carrier and the spread spectrum transmission.Because each data period 16 corresponds to one data bit, data stream 11includes a phase inversion at a data epoch 15 when the informationcarried in the data stream changes state from a logic one to a logiczero and from a logic zero to a logic one. The communication protocoluses these code inversions to communicate the low frequency (50 Hz) datain data stream 11. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, anycode inversions that occur at a data epoch 15 will be detected by thedata detection circuit to be described below.

It is important to recognize that the satellite waveform 10 shown inFIG. 1 includes data from one of a plurality of satellites that will betransmitting similar information in similar satellite waveforms to bereceived by a GPS receiver.

FIG. 1 also shows timeline 30, which includes a twenty millisecondperiod 31 over which satellite waveforms from a plurality of satelliteswill be received by a GPS receiver. Timeline 30 is shown offset withrespect to a data epoch 15 of data stream 11 to illustrate the conceptthat twenty millisecond period 31 will include parts of at least twodata periods 16 for each satellite. This corresponds to between twentyand twenty-one code periods 17 received from each satellite. Twentymillisecond period 31 includes the satellite energy from all satellitesthat are visible to the GPS receiver. Importantly, the data epoch 15that is included every twenty milliseconds in data stream 11, when takenwith respect to twenty millisecond period 31 will be offset from thedata epoch 15 received from each other satellite. This is so becauseeach satellite will be at a different range and position relative to theGPS receiver. Because of this difference from each satellite, eachsatellite waveform 10 received by the GPS receiver will be arriving at adifferent time relative to each other satellite waveform received. Itwould be highly unlikely to receive one data bit (one data bitcorresponds to one data period 16) from each satellite and have thatprecise twenty millisecond data period 16 appear within twentymillisecond period 31. It is more likely that twenty millisecond period31 will include some portion of two data bits, or data periods, for eachsatellite. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, it isdesirable to detect whether or not a phase inversion due to datamodulation occurs at each data epoch 15 within data stream 11.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the data detection circuit 100 ofthe invention. Data detection circuit 100 resides within, and is partof, a GPS satellite receiver that has visibility to a number of GPSsatellites. Typically, a GPS receiver will have visibility to as many as12 satellites, but typically, has visibility to 7-9 GPS satellites. TheGPS receiver simultaneously receives signals from all the satellitesvisible to it and processes the signals in accordance with theinvention.

An input signal containing the in-phase and quadrature components of thesignal including the information contained in satellite waveform 10 ofFIG. 1, is input via connection 101 to input signal processor 102. Inputsignal processor 102, in addition to other signal processing functions,removes the intermediate carrier frequency from the input signal onconnection 101. The intermediate carrier frequency is typically at afrequency of F₀/8. Input signal processor 102 removes the 1.2 MHzintermediate carrier frequency from the signal on connection 101. Inputsignal processor 102 also attempts to remove any known offset errors inthe local oscillator. Essentially, the input signal on connection 101represents the radio frequency energy received by the radio processingcircuitry (not shown) within the GPS receiver and supplied to datadetection circuit 100.

The output of input signal processor 102 includes the spectra from allthe visible satellites (i.e. represented by the signal on connection101) with their average Doppler effect shifted to zero. In other words,some of the satellite energy represented in connection 101 has aneffective frequency offset that is negative and some has an effectivefrequency offset that is positive. The signal on connection 104 includes2F₀, or about twenty million, samples of data periods 15 (FIG. 1)received from all visible satellites. The signal on connection 104 isthen supplied to filter 106. Filter 106 is a sliding window filter andprovides filtering prior to quantization and decimation. A band limitingfilter can be used because input signal processor 102 has shifted thespectra of all the received satellite waveforms to near zero instead ofnear the intermediate carrier frequency of F₀/8. F₀ equals 10.23 MHz,therefore F₀/8 is approximately 1.2 MHz. Filter 106 functions as a-sliding block average filter, which adds up about twenty samples foreach window. The output of filter 106 over connection 107 is input toquantizer 113.

Quantizer 113 re-quantizes the output of filter 106 to four bit samplescomprising two bits for the real part and two bits for the imaginarypart of the signal on connection 107. The quantization at this point canalternatively output more bits per sample. Increasing the word width(number of bits) reduces the implementation loss of the system at theexpense of requiring more storage for the samples. The output ofquantizer 113 is input via connection 115 to decimator 108.

Decimator 108 decimates the signal on connection 107 at a ratio ofapproximately 10:1. In this manner, the sampling rate drops fromapproximately 20 MHz (the input to filter 106) to approximately 2 MHz(the output of decimator 108 on connection 109). The output of decimator108 is F₀/5. The output of decimator 108 via connection 109 are four-bitdata words, still representing the energy from all satellites visible tothe GPS receiver. The four bit samples on connection 109 typicallyinclude two bits for the imaginary part of the data and two bits for thereal part of the data.

The signal on connection 109 is then supplied to serial/parallelconverter 111. Serial/parallel converter 111 organizes the four bitsamples on connection 109 into a format compatible with the word lengthof data RAM 200. Data RAM 200 will be explained in further detail withrespect to FIG. 3, however, no matter how the word inputs are arrangedto data RAM 200, serial/parallel converter 111 will appropriatelysegment the four bit samples on connection 109 for input to data RAM 200via connection 112. Although the description of the data detectioncircuit is not yet complete, the data RAM 200 will now be described.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the architecture of the data RAM200 of FIG. 2. Data RAM 200 receives the four bit samples that have beenstructured to fit the word length of data RAM 200 by serial/parallelconverter 111 (FIG. 2) via connection 112. The four bit samples havebeen organized by serial/parallel converter 111 into a word sizeappropriate for the memory elements that are used within data RAM 200.These word sizes will vary depending upon the RAM chosen. It should benoted that various memory elements and architectures could be used.

The signal containing the data from the plurality of received satellitewaveforms is supplied over connection 112 to data bus 209. Data bus 209supplies the data to memory elements 201 in accordance with instructionsreceived from address generator 206. Memory elements 201 are, in thisembodiment, 4K blocks of random access memory. The passage of data fromdata bus 209 to each memory element 201 is controlled by a switch 208,associated with each memory element 201 and connected along address bus207. Each switch 208 is controlled by address generator 206. Addressgenerator 206 determines the proper time at which each switch 208 willopen and close, thereby allowing the passage of the data from data bus209 into the appropriate memory element 201. State machine 202 controlsthe operation of address generator 206 via connection 204. State machine202 determines the appropriate memory element 201 into which to load thedata samples. Memory elements 201 are arranged in a circular bufferarrangement so that while a given memory element 201 is being loadedwith data via data bus 209, the remainder of the memory elements cannotbe loaded. Also, while a particular memory element 201 is being loaded,a different memory element 201 can be accessed via the operation ofswitches 212. Switches 212 are associated with each memory element 201and are controlled by address generator 214 via address bus 216, insimilar manner to the control of switches 208 on address bus 207. Forexample, while a memory element 201 is being loaded by data 112 via databus 209, a different memory element 201 will be accessed via data bus211 and switches 212. In this manner, data can continually be read intodata RAM 200 and read out of data RAM 200. Address generator 214 iscontrolled by state machine 218 via connection 217. State machine 218operates using the same logic as state machine 212 so that the operationof input and output to memory elements 201 can be coordinated.

The signal on connection 112 still represents satellite energy receivedfrom a plurality of satellites. In other words, the signal contained onconnection 112 includes many twenty millisecond samples from a pluralityof satellites. Because the data bits from one satellite are offset fromthe data bits of another satellite, data RAM 200 should be able to holdmore than twenty milliseconds of data. This is so because the portion ofone satellite's twenty milliseconds worth of data will be different fromthe portion of another satellite's twenty milliseconds worth of data inany particular memory element 201. In this manner, the size of eachmemory element 201 and the number of memory elements 201 should bechosen so that a sufficient amount of data from all satellites can becontained therein. The size of each memory element 201 and the quantitythereof can be determined based on specific application. In general,double buffering of the data from each satellite will require more than60 ms of data and more than three memory elements 201. It is alsofeasible to organize the data in RAM 200 on the basis of smallerportions of input data samples, such as the code period (17 in FIG. 1).In such an event, double buffering of each satellite's signal sampleswould require more than 3 ms of data and more than three memory elements201. This strategy ensures that at least one complete segment (e.g., 20ms (data period) or 1 ms (code period)) of any satellite's data can beaccessed from the set of memory elements 201 that exclude the onecurrently being loaded with input data. The lower limits of foursegments and four buffers arises because Doppler shift could allow adata segment to occupy more than one buffer if the buffer were sized atexactly the nominal segment length.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, address generator 206 andaddress generator 214, based upon inputs from state machine 202 andstate machine 218, respectively, coordinate the input, processing andoutput of the data supplied on connection 112. Address generator 206 andstate machine 202 sequentially store the data on connection 112 in thememory elements 201, in a continuous, circular addressing mode, whilethe address generator 214 and state machine 218 read data out of memoryelements 201 in a similar fashion.

The output of data bus 211 is input via connection 116 to dataextraction element 220. Data extraction element 220 extracts the bits ofinformation contained within the signal on connection 116 for eachsubject satellite under analysis from each RAM word. This is so becausethere are samples from more than one satellite in each RAM word. Thedata present on connection 116 still includes satellite waveforms from aplurality of satellites, the signals of which are received by the GPSreceiver.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, address generator 214will select a particular switch 212 via address bus 216 so that theappropriate memory element 201 can supply its contents via data bus 211over connection 116 to the data extraction element 220. The dataextraction element 220 works in cooperation with the state machine 218and the address generator 214. The state machine 218, as mentionedabove, provides to the address generator 214 the location, within dataRAM 200, of the data epoch 15 for a given satellite's data period 16(FIG. 1). The state machine 218 will instruct the address generator 214via connection 217 as to which satellite's signal is being analyzed at aparticular time. The state machine 218 provides the address generator214 with the address at which to start counting, therefore allowingaddress generator 214 to know which memory element 201 to access to geta particular satellite's signal. Furthermore, because a givensatellite's signal may be spread across more than one memory element201, more than one memory element 201 may be accessed. In this manner,the data extraction element 220, at any particular time, will besupplied with address location information for a particular satellitesignal. The data extraction element 220 supplies bit samples to matchedfilter 300 via connection 212. Matched filter 300 is illustrated broadlywith respect to FIG. 2, and in further detail with respect to FIG. 4.

Data extraction element 220 also includes Doppler generator 221 andmixer 222. Doppler generator 221 supplies information regarding theDoppler shift that is specific to the particular satellite waveformbeing analyzed at any given time. Mixer 222 mixes the Doppler generatorinformation with the information bit stream arriving on connection 116.In this manner, the signal supplied via connection 121 to matched filter300 is a shifted spectrum of the desired satellite so that the signal iscentered substantially near zero Hz.

Returning now to FIG. 2, the output of data RAM 200 on connection 116 issupplied to mixer 119. Doppler generator 117 supplies the Doppler shiftmentioned above via connection 118 to mixer 119 and works similarly toDoppler generator 221 and mixer 222 mentioned above with respect to FIG.3. Although shown schematically in FIG. 2 as a separate Dopplergenerator 117 and mixer 119, in a preferred embodiment, the dataextraction element 220 of FIG. 3 could include this functionality. Theoutput of mixer 119 is then supplied via connection 121 to matchedfilter 300. Matched filter 300 will be described in further detail withrespect to FIG. 4.

Briefly, the matched filter 300 is used to make range measurements whenthe GPS receiver is in satellite acquisition mode, and is used tocollect data bits when the GPS receiver is in data detection mode. Whenthe GPS receiver is operating in a satellite acquisition mode, matchedfilter 300 is used to compare PN chips (FIG. 1) received from allsatellites with ideal, or reference, PN chips generated by a codegenerator. The code generator generates reference PN chips that areidentical to those received from the satellite. In this manner, thematched filter 300, while operating in satellite acquisition mode, candetermine which satellite signal is being received. This is accomplishedby computing the correlation between the PN chip samples received fromdata RAM 200 with the reference PN chips generated by the codegenerator. This is done for all the different cyclical shifts of the PNcode for one period. An example of the architecture and operation ofsuch a data acquisition circuit is more fully described in is theabove-identified U.S. patent application entitled “SIGNAL DETECTOREMPLOYING COHERENT INTEGRATION”, having Ser. No. 09/281,566, filed onMar. 30, 1999, and hereby incorporated in this document by reference. Inaddition, an example of the architecture and operation of a Dopplercorrected spread spectrum matched filter is more fully described in U.S.patent application entitled “DOPPLER CORRECTED SPREAD SPECTRUM MATCHEDFILTER”, having Ser. No. 09/145,055, filed on Sep. 1, 1998, and herebyincorporated in this document by reference.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, when used in datadetection circuit 100, matched filter 300 need not examine all thedifferent code phases supplied from each different satellite becauseonly the data periods 16, and in particular the data epochs 15separating the code periods, are of interest. In accordance with anaspect of the invention, matched filter 300 will perform coherentintegration from one data epoch 15 to the next. It is desirable toaccumulate coherently the energy from one twenty millisecond data bit(see FIG. 1) from a specific satellite. In accordance with this aspectof the invention, and referring back to FIG. 3, state machine 218 andaddress generator 214 accurately estimate the points at which to beginand end accessing data from memory elements 201 for each satellitewaveform's data epoch boundary. In this manner, the memory elements 201are accessed many times, with the starting read-out point depending uponwhere the data epoch boundary is estimated to be for each satellite. Inthis manner, the matched filter need only operate in data acquisitionmode for a brief period, on the order of 18 seconds, each hour. Thislimited duty cycle results in significant processor resource savings.

With reference now to FIG. 4, shown is matched filter 300 of FIG. 2. Inaccordance with an aspect of the invention, matched filter 300 need onlygenerate those code phases that are required to perform data detectionof the data period 16 within satellite waveform 10 (FIG. 1).

Matched filter 300 includes signal buffer 301, which receives samplesfrom data extraction element 220 of FIG. 3. Matched filter 300 alsoincludes PN code buffer 309, which includes reference PN chips for thetwo or three code phases that are being analyzed by matched filter 300.Code generator 312 provides the PN code to PN code buffer 309 viaconnection 314. The code generator 312 provides the PN code required forthe current operation and is responsive to microprocessor software. PNcode buffer 309 is a circular buffer that rotates the PN chips throughsections of the code buffer via feedback connection 311 as required toprovide those code phase settings required for the current operation.Matched filter 300 also includes multiplication and integrationcircuitry 302. For example, each sample in signal buffer 301 ismultiplied by a corresponding PN chip within PN code buffer 309 bymultipliers 306. Essentially, multipliers 306 take the dot productbetween the received waveform (the samples within signal buffer 301),and the reference waveform (the PN chips within PN code buffer 309).These samples are taken over an appropriate period of time and thencoherently integrated by integrator 307, resulting in one millisecondsamples on connection 122. The signal on connection 122 is a complexnumber, which is represented by a one millisecond integration frommatched filter 300. This one millisecond integration is supplied viaconnection 122 to adder 124 of FIG. 2.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the output of matched filter 300 on connection122 is supplied to adder 124 and then via connection 126 to complexsummation RAM 128. Complex summation RAM 128 includes a plurality ofregisters, two examples of which are illustrated as register 134 andregister 136, containing respectively, a twenty millisecond integrationof a first data period received from matched filter 300 and a twentymillisecond integration of a second data period received from matchedfilter 300. These two values are called data epoch 1 and data epoch 2,respectively. Complex summation RAM 128 integrates twenty of the onemillisecond complex sums received from matched filter 300 via feedbackloop 132 to provide a twenty millisecond coherent integration. Thisprocess is repeated for the second data period. As illustrated by thedotted line between matched filter 300 and adder 124, the functionalitydescribed above, and prior to adder 124, preferably occurs in hardwareusing specialized logic circuitry. The functionality described beginningwith adder 124, and below, may occur in a microprocessor. However, thecomplex summation RAM 128 may also be implemented in hardware.Furthermore, the data detection circuit 100 may be implementedcompletely in either hardware or software.

Data epoch 1, contained within RAM register 134 and data epoch 2,contained within RAM register 136 represent the integrations of twoadjacent twenty millisecond data periods for a given satellite. Inoperation, complex summation RAM 128 toggles between the data epoch 1word contained in register 134 and the data epoch 2 word contained inregister 136 for adjacent twenty millisecond periods so that at the endof any twenty millisecond period, complex summation RAM 128 has theintegration that has just been completed and the integration that wascompleted twenty milliseconds prior thereto. This result is supplied astwo different complex numbers via connections 129 and 131, respectively.

The complex number output on connection 129 represents the currenttwenty millisecond integration from complex summation RAM 128 and isrepresented by the value I+jQ. The output of complex summation RAM 128on connection 131 is a complex number representing the previous twentymillisecond integration done within complex summation RAM 128 and isrepresented by the value I+jQ. An arctangent operation (tan⁻¹) isperformed on each of these signals in blocks 137 and 138, respectively,resulting in an angle (θ_(n)) on connection 139 that represents thephase of the satellite waveform for the current twenty millisecondintegration. The output of arctangent block 138 is also an angleθ_(n−1), representing the phase of the satellite waveform for theprevious twenty millisecond integration. These two values on connections139 and 141 are differenced in adder 142 resulting in an output Δθ onconnection 144. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the valueΔθ is analyzed to determine whether or not a phase inversion hasoccurred at data epoch 15 of satellite waveform 10.

FIG. 5 is a graphical illustration representing a data epoch 15including a phase inversion. Graph 400 shows real axis 402 and imaginaryaxis 401. Signal vector 404 is shown at an angle (θ) with respect toreal axis 402. For each twenty millisecond integration, the value Δθappearing on connection 144 of FIG. 2 is analyzed to determined whetheror not it is greater than +90 degrees or less than −90 degrees. If thevalue Δθ exceeds these thresholds, then a phase inversion has takenplace at data epoch 15.

Referring back to FIG. 2, data accumulator 146 accumulates this phaseinversion information received from adder 142 and supplies as an outputvia connection 147 data frames which include the low frequency 50 Hzdata from data period 16 of FIG. 1.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the output of adder142 (the Δθ value on connection 144 after removing the effects of anydetected 180 degree phase inversions due to data modulation) can besupplied to Doppler generator 117 (or 221 of FIG. 3) in order to controlthe value that Doppler generator 117 provides to mixer 119 (or 222 ofFIG. 3). In this manner, Doppler generator 117 is supplied with the mostaccurate satellite Doppler information available. This connection wouldtypically occur via a microprocessor controller.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the output of data accumulator 147 isrepresented in frames, which include a number of subframes. Thesubframes are constructed using code words from the waveforms receivedfrom each satellite. Each code word includes twenty-eight data bits andtwo parity bits. Typically, ten code words comprise a sub-frame and fivesub-frames comprise a frame. A frame is typically thirty seconds andincludes 1500 bits.

Referring now to FIG. 6, shown is a data frame 500 extracted from thesatellite waveform of FIG. 1. Data frame 500 includes sub-frames 501through 505. Sub-frames 501, 502 and 503 include the ephemeris data forthe particular satellite whose signal has been received and decoded. Theephemeris data completely describes the location and characteristics ofthe satellite. Data frame 500 also includes sub-frame 504, whichincludes almanac data for a number of the different satellites in theGPS system and sub-frame 505, which includes almanac data for thebalance of the different satellites in the GPS system. The almanac datais typically updated once per week, and can locate the satellite towithin approximately one kilometer. The almanac information also allowscalculation of the Doppler shift information. The ephemeris datacontained in sub-frames 501, 502 and 503 as mentioned above, is specificto each satellite being received, and is a more precise version of thealmanac data. The ephemeris data can locate the satellite to within afraction of a meter, and is typically updated once per hour, althoughthe ephemeris data is valid for up to four, and in some situations six,hours. By using the data detection circuit to quickly and efficientlydetect and decode the 50 Hz data present in the satellite signal, energyconsumed in the GPS receiver can be significantly reduced because of thelow duty cycle operation. Using the matched filter 300 to detect data aswell as acquire satellites and measure code phase for range estimationcan also reduce circuit size.

Other Embodiments

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,825,327, entitled “GPS Receivers And Garments Containing GPSReceivers And Methods For Using These GPS Receives,” which isincorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,327 discloses a GPS receiver having multiple GPSantennas. Also described is a method of tracking employing the GPSreceiver and a communication transmitter. Also described is a garmenthaving a GPS receiver, a GPS antenna, a communication antenna, and acommunication transmitter.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,945,944, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Determining TimeFor GPS Receivers,” which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,944 discloses a method and apparatus of determiningthe time for a global positioning system receiver. Timing signalsderived from a communication system, such as cellular phone transmissionsignals, are received by a GPS receiver and decoded to provide accuratetime information. The timing signals may be in the form of synchronizedevents marked by timing indicators, or as system time information. Thetiming signals in combination with satellite position signals receivedby the GPS receiver are used to determine the position of the GPSreceiver.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,831,574, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Determining theLocation OF An Object Which May Have An Obstructed View Of The Sky,”which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,574 discloses the following. A positioning sensorreceives and stores a predetermined record length of positioning signalswhile in a fix position located such that the positioning sensor canreceive positioning signals. Thereafter, the stored positioning signalsrare processed to determine the geographic location of a the fixposition. The fix position may correspond to a location of an object ofinterest or it may be in a known location relative to the position ofthe object, in which case once the geographic location of the fixposition has been computed, the geographic location of the object can bederived. The positioning sensor includes a Snapshot GPS receiver whichmay collect and process GPS signals transmitted by GPS satellites usingfast convolution operations to compute pseudoranges from the GPSsatellites to the fix position. Alternatively, these computations may beperformed at a basestation. The computed pseudoranges may then be usedto determine the geographic location of the fix position. Thepositioning sensor may be equipped with t depth sensing means, such as apressure sensor, which allows a determination of the depth of submergedobject to be made. The positioning sensor may further be equipped withsignal detecting means for determining when the positioning sensor is inthe fix position.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,884,214, entitled “GPS Receiver And Method For Processing GPSSignals,” which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,214 discloses the following. A global positioningsystem (GPS) receiver has first circuitry for receiving and processingpseudorandom sequences transmitted by a number of GPS satellites. Thefirst circuitry is configured to perform conventional correlationoperations on the received pseudorandom sequences to determinepseudoranges from the GPS receiver to the GPS satellites. The GPSreceiver also includes second circuitry coupled to the first circuitry.The second circuitry is configured to receive and process thepseudorandom sequences during blockage conditions. The second circuitryprocesses the pseudorandum sequences by digitizing and stoning apredetermined record length of the received sequences and thenperforming fast convolution operations on the stored data to determinethe pseudoranges. The GPS receiver may have a common circuitry forreceiving GPS signals form in view satellites and downconverting the RFfrequency of the received GPS signals to an intermediate frequency (IF).The IF signals are split into two signal paths; a first of whichprovides the conventional correlation processing to calculate thepseudoranges. During blockage conditions, the IF signal is passed to thesecond signal path wherein the IF signals are digitized and stored inmemory and later processed using the fast convolution operations toprovide the pseudoranges. Alternative arrangements for the two signalpaths include separate downconverters or shared digitizers. Oneembodiment provides both signal paths on a single integrated circuitwith shared circuitry executing computer readable instructions toperform GPS signal processing appropriate to the reception conditions.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,874,914, entitled “GPS Receiver Utilizing A CommunicationLink”, which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,914 discloses the following. A GPS receiver in oneembodiment includes an antenna which receives GPS signals at an RFfrequency from in view satellites; a downconverter coupled to theantenna for reducing the RF frequency of the received GPS signals to anintermediate frequency (IF); a digitizer coupled to the downconverterand sampling the IF GPS signals at a predetermined rate to producesampled IF GPS signals; a memory coupled to the digitizer storing thesampled IF GPS signals (a snapshot of GPS signals); and a digital signalprocessor (DPS) coupled to the memory and operating under storedinstructions thereby performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operationson the sampled IF GPS signals to provide pseudorange information. Theseoperations typically also include preprocessing and post processing ofthe GPS signals. After a snapshot of data is taken, the receiver frontend is powered down. The GPS receiver in one embodiment also includesother power management features and includes, in another embodiment thecapability to correct for errors in its local oscillator which is usedto sample the GPS signals. The calculation speed of pseudoranges, andsensitivity of operation, is enhanced by the transmission of the Dopplerfrequency shifts of in view satellites to the receiver from an externalsource, such as a basestation in one embodiment of the invention.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 6,016,119, entitled “Method And Apparatus For Determining TheLocation Of An Object Which May Have An Obstructed View Of The Sky,”which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,119 discloses the following. A positioning sensorreceives and stores a predetermined record length of positioning signalswhile in a fix position located such that the positioning sensor canreceive positioning signals. Thereafter, the stored positioning signalsare processed to determine the geographic location of the fix position.The fix position may correspond to a location of an object of interestor it may be in a known location relative to the position of the object,in which case once the geographic location of the fix position has beencomputed, the geographic location of the object can be derived. Thepositioning sensor includes a Snapshot GPS receiver which may collectand process GPS signals transmitted by GPS satellites using fastconvolution operations to compute pseudoranges from the GPS satellitesto the fix position. Alternatively, these computations may be performedat a basestation. The computed pseudoranges may then be used todetermine the geographic location of the fix position. The positioningsensor may be equipped with depth sensing means, such as a pressuresensor, which allows a determination of the depth of submerged object tobe made. The positioning sensor may further be equipped with signaldetecting means for determining when the positioning sensor is in thefix position.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,781,156, entitled “GPS Receiver And Method For processing GPSSignals,” which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,156 discloses the following. A GPS receiver in oneembodiment includes an antenna which receives GPS signals at an RFfrequency from in view satellites; a downconverter coupled to theantenna for reducing the RF frequency of the received GPS signals to anintermediate frequency (F); a digitizer coupled to the downconverter andsampling the IF GPS signals at a predetermined rate to produce sampledIF GPS signals; a memory coupled to the digitizer storing the sampled IFGPS signals (a snapshot of GPS signals); and a digital signal processor(DPS) coupled to the memory and operating under stored instructionsthereby performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operations on thesampled IF GPS signals to provide pseudorange information. Theseoperations typically also include preprocessing and post processing ofthe GPS signals. After a snapshot of data is taken, the receiver frontend is powered down. The GPS receiver in one embodiment also includesother power management features and includes, in another embodiment thecapability to correct for errors in its local oscillator which is usedto sample the GPS signals. The calculation speed of pseudoranges, andsensitivity of operation, is enhanced by the transmission of the Dopplerfrequency shifts of in view satellites to the receiver from an externalsource, such as a basestation in one embodiment of the invention.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,841,396, entitled “GPS Receiver Utilizing A CommunicationLink,” which is incorporated by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,396 discloses the following. A precision carrierfrequency signal for calibrating a local oscillator of a GPS receiverwhich is used to acquire GPS signals. The precision carrier frequencysignal is sued to calibrate the local oscillator such that the output ofthe local oscillator, which is used to acquire GPS signals, is modifiedby a reference signal generated from the precision carrier frequencysignal. The GPS receiver locks to this precision carrier frequencysignal and generates the reference signal. In another aspect of theinvention, satellite almanac data is transmitted to a remote GPSreceiver unit from a basestation via a communication link. The remoteGPS receiver unit uses this satellite almanac data to determineapproximate Doppler data for satellites in view of the remote GPSreceiver unit.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,999,124, entitled “Satellite Positioning System AugmentationWith Wireless Communication Signals,” which is incorporated byreference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,124 discloses a method and apparatus for processingposition information from satellite positioning system satellites andfrom cellular based communication signals. In one example of a methodaccording to the invention, a SPS receiver receives SPS signals from atleast one SPS satellite. This SPS receiver is coupled to and typicallyintegrated with a communication system which receives and transmitsmessages in a cell based communication system. In this method, a messageis transmitted in the cell based communication signals between acommunication system and a first cell based transceiver. A timemeasurement which represents a time of travel of a message in the cellbased communication signals between the cell based transceiver and thecommunication system is determined. Another time measurement whichrepresents a time of travel of the SPS signals is also determined. Aposition of the SPS receiver is determined from a combination of atleast the time measurement which represents the time of travel of amessage in the cell based communication signals and from a timemeasurement which represents a time travel of the SPS signals. The cellbased communication signals are capable of communicating data messagesin a two-way direction in one embodiment between the cell basedtransceiver and the communication system.

The present invention can be implemented in the system described in U.S.Pat. No. 6,002,363, entitled “Combined GPS Positioning System AndCommunications System Utilizing Shared Circuitry,” which is incorporatedby reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,363 discloses a combined GPS and communicationsystem having shared circuitry. The combined system includes an antennafor receiving data representative of GPS signals, a frequency convertercoupled to the antenna, a frequency synthesizer coupled to the frequencyconverter, an analog to digital converter coupled to the frequencyconverter and a processor coupled to the frequency converter. Theprocessor processes the data representative of GPS signals to determinea pseudorange based on the data representative of GPS signals todetermine a pseudorange based on the data representative of GPS signals.The integrated communication receiver includes a shared component whichis at least one of the antenna, the frequency converter, the frequencysynthesizer and the analog to digital converter. Typically, in certainembodiments, the processor also demodulates communication signalsreceived as well as controls the modulation of data to be transmitted asa communication signal through a communication link.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modificationsand variations may be made to the preferred embodiments of theinvention, as set forth above, without departing substantially from theprinciples of the invention. All such modifications and variations areintended to be included herein within the scope of the invention, asdefined in the claims that follow.

1. A method of tracking a remote object comprising the steps of: fittinga remote object with a positioning sensor configured to receive andstore positioning information when the remote object is in a fixposition; positioning the remote object in a fix position such that thepositioning sensor is capable of detecting an activation signal;receiving and storing a predetermined amount of data in the positioningsensor, the data comprising positioning information; processing the datato determine the location of the fix position; decoding data encodedupon a signal using a matched filter, the data being demarcated intosuccessive data epochs; and decoding periodic phase shift-data encodedupon the signal by phase shifts of the data epochs using the matchedfilter.